1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the coal processing field.
More particularly, this invention relates to the coal fluidization field wherein dense-phase coal is equally divided between multiple injection passages in an injector from a single coal feed line and fed to a coal reaction chamber for hydrogenation of the coal particles by hot hydrogen injected through the injector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A series of issued patents to C. H. O. Berg, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,684,868, 2,684,870 and 2,684,872 describe a means to transport solid particles in a gaseous medium.
Since all of the foregoing patents are closely related, a brief description of U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,870 will suffice to describe the closest prior art to Applicants' invention. This patent describes an improved selective adsorption process in which the granular adsorbent is conveyed upwardly through a lift line and downwardly through an adsorption column in substantially the same condition of solids bulk density. It has been found that a conduit may be maintained with a vertically rising mass of solid granular adsorbent in which the bulk density of the solids is substantially the same as the bulk density of the solids when at rest as static bulk density.
This is accomplished by forcing a flow of lift gas upwardly through the interstices of the granules to establish frictional forces (indicated by the pressure differential) which are sufficient to overcome the gravitational forces on the adsorbent granules as well as the frictional forces of the conduit walls on the moving bed of adsorbent and cause the mass to move upward. The actual velocity of the lift gas necessary to accomplish this result is dependent upon the size and density of the granules, and the viscosity of the lift gas which is directly determined by the pressure and temperature. The velocities are generally sufficient to cause fluidization of the adsorbent granules if the adsorbent granules were free to fluidize or become suspended in the lift gas.
All of the Berg patents relate primarily to vertical movement of solids in a continuous flow loop. The Berg patents, additionally, describe a vertical column that has a narrow opening at the bottom of the column and a wide opening at the top, the column describing somewhat of a cone shape. The reason for this is to prevent clogging of the column as the granules are moved upwardly through the pipe. Thus, it can be seen that in the Berg references, clogging of the column could occur.
The present disclosure relates to a dense-phase feeding of particulate solids through horizontal and/or vertical feed pipes. Also, the present invention utilizes a ball valve immediately adjacent to the feeder exit to allow flow of solid particles to be established. The Berg references heretofore described initiate flow by simply providing a pressure differential in the vertical feeder line. In the present invention, if a valve positioned at the exit of the feeder vessel is not used and flow is initiated by simply pressurizing the feeder vessel, the feed line will consistently plug. In addition, the Berg references employ a "thrust plate" or choke at the exit of the diverging vertical tube. The present invention does not require a choke to control flow of dense-phase material through the feeder lines.